Young graduates need to be attached to skilled foreigners employed in Bangladesh to gather the latter’s expertise and retain the $6 billion that goes out of the country as the experts’ salaries, said Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam on Monday, 05 March 2018.
No two industries are the same, so instead of formulating industry-specific courses, universities should encourage inquisitiveness and generate interest among students, added the professor of BRAC Business School (BBS) at BRAC University (BRACU).
Presenting the concluding speech at a “Bridging the Gap-Panel Discussion” on marketing, finance and entrepreneurship, the renowned economist also dispelled the idea that grades were not of that importance, saying it was one reflector of the student’s aptitude.
The discussion was organised by BBS at BRACU’s Mohakhali campus where nine chief experience officers (CxOs) were invited to share real insights of industry placements, students’ skills and ways to build stronger partnership with industries.
Chairing the session, Vice Chancellor Professor Syed Saad Andaleeb PhD urged industries to invest on universities to prepare the young generation either for entrepreneurial activities or serving in industries, both of which ultimately leads to the economy’s growth.
He proposed initiating a “reality class” every semester where the CxOs would help students understand the market.
BRAC University (BRACU) Vice Chancellor Professor Syed Saad Andaleeb PhD addresses a “Bridging the Gap-Panel Discussion” on marketing, finance and entrepreneurship organised by BRAC Business School at BRACU’s Mohakhali campus today (Monday, 05 March 2018).
From left are Magnito Digital Creative Head Kaushik De, Abdullah Chowdhury (Robin) of Wellbeing Foundation, Palmal Group of Industries General Manager Major (retd) Md Mizanur Rahman Khan, City Bank Ltd Senior Vice President Nazmul Chowdhury, ChhobiChai CEO Mushtaq Ahmed, LR Global Bangladesh Chief Investment Officer Rashed Hasan, Impress Capital Limited Managing Director & CEO Meer Sajed-Ul-Basher FCA, Frontier Technology Ltd Managing Director Humaira Chowdhury and Omega Exim Limited & Ifad Autos Director Rezwan Ali.
On whether to go for corporate jobs or become an entrepreneur, Frontier Technology Ltd Managing Director Humaira Chowdhury suggested giving a couple of years in the former to get the vibe before going for realising one’s ideas.
She also questioned the benefits of competitions on entrepreneurship ideas, saying she had seen would-be graduates win such contests just for the short-phased glory before going for corporate jobs.
Asset management company LR Global Bangladesh Chief Investment Officer Rashed Hasan said students focus on grades when applying for jobs, but to him it was the attitude that mattered.
Omega Exim Limited & Ifad Autos Director Rezwan Ali said graduates need to prove and demonstrate they have the knowledge as only then would the industry help them gather the necessary experience.
Palmal Group of Industries General Manager Major (retd) Md Mizanur Rahman Khan asked youths to engage themselves in innovative ideas to stop foreign firms from taking away foreign currency from the country through businesses.
Openness is very important and so students need to develop this habit while in graduate schools, said City Bank Ltd Senior Vice President Nazmul Chowdhury.
To all the discussants, one should go for a startup only when adequate confidence to think out of the box exists. The CxOs earlier co-taught nine courses at BBS for around an hour.
BBS Dean Professor Iftekhar Ghani Chowdhury PhD delivered the welcome speech while BBS Assistant Professor Mahreen Mamoon organised and moderated the event, which ended with a question-answer session involving students.
ChhobiChai CEO Mushtaq Ahmed, Magnito Digital Creative Head Kaushik De, Abdullah Chowdhury (Robin) of Wellbeing Foundation and Impress Capital Limited Managing Director & CEO Meer Sajed-Ul-Basher, FCA were also present.